


Best friends

by hwangsungfairy



Category: QCYN, Qing Chun You Ni, 偶像练习生 | Idol Producer (TV)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Fluff, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Kissing, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-18
Updated: 2019-04-18
Packaged: 2020-01-16 03:34:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18513076
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hwangsungfairy/pseuds/hwangsungfairy
Summary: Gu Landi gets eliminated from Qing Chun You Ni and spends his last moments in Dachang with his best friend, Yao Chi.





	Best friends

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, this is my third QCYN fic but it's quite ironically the first one getting published, I'll see to publish the others later! I'm not sure myself where I was going with this "plot", but I hope you'll have a fun time reading!

Yao Chi's tears won't stop, and Landi desperately wishes there was a way he could make them cease. His best friend's face is stained with a neverending flow of hot tears, and he can't stop hiccuping because of his staggered breathing. Landi is frowning, and his own tears haven't made it yet past his tired eyes, but his heart on the other hand is hurting at the sight of Yao Chi breaking down.

He gets up and fetches tissues, lots of them, and sits again by Yao Chi.

“Calm down,” Landi instructs, rubbing a hand on Yao Chi's shoulder, “breathe in and out,” he adds, hoping his words will be enough.

Yao Chi accepts the tissues, which is already a good start, and wipes his red cheeks, then blows his nose. Landi pats his thigh as he does so, and also gives him a water bottle. Yao Chi drinks slowly, and Landi stares at him.

“It's fine,” Landi tells him, “it's just like PD said, it's an elimination in a show, but there are no eliminations in real life.”

“I guess I overreacted,” Yao Chi says, looking down at his lap.

Landi smiles at him.

“You're a very sensitive person, you didn't overreact. It's normal that you felt like this. It honestly makes me flattered you care about me so much.”

Yao Chi looks up, and sniffles.

“Of course I care, you're my best friend, I love you!”

Landi's chest warms up at those words.

“I love you too,” Landi replies, and he opens his arms.

Yao Chi wastes no time and cuddles up to him, burying his face in his neck. Landi hugs him tightly once he's settled there, and rests his chin on top of his best friend's head.

 

They have a whole night before Landi, Jiayi and all the others who were eliminated have to leave, and Landi has an inkling Yao Chi won't leave him. He might go see other boys to wish them luck on their future paths, but Landi is aware of how much Yao Chi loves him as his best friend and genuinely appreciates that they will spend what little time they still have together in each other's company.

They've been silent for half an hour where there are sudden noises in the corridor. Landi looks at the door, and expects it to open any minute from now on, but no one knocks nor comes in. Yao Chi is completely still, and his breathing is regular, so Landi assumes he might have fallen asleep against his chest. He checks the time on his watch; 6:30pm.

It's definitely too late for a nap, and too early to go to bed, so he gently shakes the younger man awake. Yao Chi's eyes are red and puffy, but Landi's are dry. He can't bring himself to cry, the tears won't come. He assumes this is because the shock will come at him later, once he's left Dachang, once he's away from Yao Chi.

“Let's head to the dining room,” Landi suggests, “it's still early but we'll see some of the guys there.”

Yao Chi nods wordlessly.

 

Landi had tidied up his part of the room as soon as the elimination had finished, so as to not have to do that too late at night, bother his roommates and remind them he was leaving. Now, he's ready to go anytime, and all that's left is for him to say goodbye to his friends, have dinner and a last night of sleep at the dorms.

In a similar fashion to earlier, Landi opens his arms, and Yao Chi cuddles him.

“Can I get a goodbye kiss? I don't think we'll have time for that later,” Landi says, and he closes his eyes as Yao Chi kisses him fully on the mouth.

They took the habit of sharing kisses, not ones that mean romantic love, but rather kisses that help cheer up and give emotional strength. In their form, they're the same as the kisses any couple would share, but their meaning is different. Landi knows Yao Chi has shared such kisses with Jiayi and Shiyuan, among others, and because they're just best friends not affiliated to each other in any other way, he doesn't feel jealous or weird knowing Yao Chi has kissed other boys. It's just another secret of Dachang, one of many that Landi thinks will stay buried there.

So they keep kissing until they're satisfied, and Landi wonders in the back of his mind if this is a habit they'll lose once the show is over. He makes that thought disappear as quickly as it came, and focuses on Yao Chi's tongue around his.

 

It's nearing 7pm when they make their way to the dining room, hand in hand. No one cares, minds, or even notices, because Yao Chi is known for being clingy to his friends and obviously particularly to his best friend. Besides, there are quite a few others who are being physically close right now, because it's time for goodbye. Before they start eating, Yao Chi hugs and chats with too many people for Landi to keep up with. He acts similarly, until his stomach growls too loudly for him to ignore.

Yao Chi sits between him and Shiyuan, and feeds Landi from time to time. He's smiling again, and Landi feels better seeing him with his pretty smile rather than with his heartbroken tears. Landi is about to circle his waist but Shiyuan already has an arm there, so Landi falls back. It's good that Yao Chi will have Shiyuan once he's gone.

Dinner comes to an end, those who still have to pack leave for their rooms, and the few ones who are done like Landi choose to stay with the ones who aren't leaving, or help out packing. Yao Chi tells him he wants to see Jiayi, who's already back in his room, and Landi nods. He stays with others until he's too tired.

After brushing his teeth, he can't help himself, and, out of curiosity, drops by Jiayi's room. He peeks through the half opened door and sees Jiayi on the floor near his suitcase, and Yao Chi near him. They're talking in low voices, despite being the only ones in the room, and Landi figures he should leave them be. As he closes the door, he actually misses Yao Chi cupping Jiayi's jaw and leaning against him for a kiss.

 

Landi heads back to the room that will be his for one last night, and hides under his blanket. He's almost asleep when Yao Chi comes back and gets in bed next to him. Yao Chi carefully goes over him, and rests on his side, facing Landi.

“How was Jiayi?” Landi whispers.

“He cried a lot, and I think he's falling sick. But he's done packing and he was going to sleep when I left him. I think he needs a break before starting activities again.”

Landi nods, even if it's barely visible in the dark room.

“How are you?” Landi asks.

“I'm good,” Yao Chi replies, “I promise I'll be strong.”

Landi smiles.

“I know you will be, you're amazing. Have confidence in yourself, I'm cheering on you, always.”

Yao Chi kisses him, tenderly. Landi answers the kiss. They fall silent, save for the wet noises their mouths produce as they meet repeatedly. Yao Chi breaks away, wiping the thin thread of saliva that connects their lips, and he nests himself against Landi the best he can.

“Good night,” Yao Chi says, “love you,” he adds in a whisper.

“Love you too,” Landi whispers back.

 

The following morning, Yao Chi lets go of Landi surprisingly easily. They wash up and have a quick breakfast, and it's already time for the eliminated trainees to leave Dachang. Those who stay accompany them in the corridor, and soon, those who have to leave do so, sometimes looking back a last time, or directly heading for the bus, staring ahead.

Landi is among the last ones, Yao Chi actually walking ahead of him. Jiayi is about to walk outside the door, when Yao Chi calls his name. He turns back on his heels, and it's difficult to say that it's him with the hat, the mask and the oversized clothes. Yao Chi circles his waist into a last hug, and Landi feels his heart tighten in his chest. The duo breaks their hug, and Yao Chi tells Jiayi something Landi can't hear. Jiayi nods, and heads for the bus.

Yao Chi's eyes are wet again, and when they meet Landi's, both can tell it won't be long before he bursts in tears again. Yao Chi hugs his shoulders, and Landi his waist, and they both feel the reciprocated strength with which they're embracing each other.

“I love you,” Yao Chi whispers, and Landi nods in his neck.

“I love you too, see you.”

Landi breaks their embrace, and slowly steps outside.

 

He feels Yao Chi's fingers on his sleeve, and, while hearing his heart break, walks away from him. He glances behind, and sees that Shiyuan has brought Yao Chi into a backhug against his chest, preventing him from reaching outside. Fat tears are rolling on Yao Chi's cheeks, and Landi wishes he could go back and comfort him.

He can't, doesn't, won't, and he gives his bags and suitcases to the staff so they can take them into the bus. Once in the bus, he goes sit next to Jiayi, who's not looking at the building where they were trainees for the past months. Landi caresses his thigh, and intertwines their fingers.

Jiayi glances at him. Landi smiles.

Jiayi squeezes their fingers.

The engine starts.

Dachang is far away behind them.

There's more ahead.


End file.
